G77 Summit Cancelled Over Coronavirus

The G77 summit that was scheduled to be held in Uganda next month has been cancelled.

According to the Uganda’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations and the current External Adviser on G77 matters, Adonia Ayebare, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in different countries and in consultation with the G77 member states, the summit has been postponed to a later date.

The summit was due to take place in Uganda from 16-19, 2020 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, attracting 136 member states participating.

According to Ayebare, a new date in 2020 will be communicated. He, however, says the pre-summit preparations will continue.

The South Summit is the supreme decision-making body of the Group of 77. The First and the Second South Summit were held in Havana, Cuba, and in Doha, Qatar respectively.

In accordance with the principle of geographical rotation, the Third South Summit is due to be held in Uganda.

The Group of 77 is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations, which provides the means for the countries of the south to articulate and promote their collective economic interests.

The summit also aims at enhancing joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues within the United Nations system, and promote South-South cooperation for development.

96,000 people have tested positive for the Coronavirus while up to 3,300 have died mostly in China.